In 2010, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) authored a historic report on Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer in the United States. The report concludes, “The current approach to the prevention and control of chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C is not working.” The report cited lack of knowledge among healthcare providers and the general public as a contributing factor to the continued transmission, missed opportunities for early diagnosis and medical care, and poor health outcomes in infected people. The session will provide an environmental scan of the community and disproportionately impacted populations. It will then expand on the IOM recommendations and explore opportunities for implementation of viral hepatitis prevention, care, and services, into the existing public health infrastructure.

Session Objectives: 1. Identify strategies to eliminate barriers to viral hepatitis prevention, care and services to reduce the impact of viral hepatitis on disproportionately affected populations.
2. Define why, where, and how, to incorporate viral hepatitis into the public health dialogue.
3. Evaluate methods for prioritization and implementation of the Institute of Medicine recommendations on viral hepatitis and liver cancer in their communities.